"There was now at last a real chance for fallen Man to shake off that limitation of his powers which mercy had imposed upon him as a protection from the full results of his fall. If this succeeded, Hell would be at last incarnate. Bad men, while still in the body, still crawling on this little globe, would enter that state which, heretofore, they had entered only after death, would have the diuturnity and power of evil spirits. Nature, all over the globe of Tellus, would become their slave; and of that dominion no end, before the end of time itself, could be certainly foreseen."
In this section of exposition, the narrator is relating the current state of materialistic, scientific advancement in the name of progress, and how it presents a much greater evil than it appears. When faith in objective truth erodes and morality can be manipulated and altogether ignored for the sake of the "progress" of humanity, scientists will have no restrictions on their research and abilities. As science advances, men will have increasing power over themselves and over Nature, and without the responsibility that should safeguard it. The final end of this downfall, as explicated in Lewis's The Abolition of Man, will be the complete loss of humanity, as men will have complete power over determining every aspect of himself and of nature. Lewis emphasizes the vile enormity of this fate by equating it with the horrors of Hell.
"Equality before the law, equality of incomes — that is very well. Equality guards life; it doesn’t make it. It is medicine, not food. You might as well try to warm yourself with a blue-book."
Lewis (through Ransom) is making the point that equality is enormously overvalued in today's society and elevated to a place it should not occupy. Equality is not, as many seem to think, the ultimate end of human life. It is useful and convenient for the preservation of life, but life without material equality is only a mild inconvenience. The true purpose of life is immaterial and does not concern equality - differences between humans are part of what makes them beautiful.
"The madrigore of verjuice must be talthibianised."
This hilarious quote is part of a comic scene in which Merlin, by means of the Babel curse, has caused all the members of the N.I.C.E. to speak in gibberish rather than comprehensible language. This story reflects that of the Biblical Tower of Babel, where God inflicted a similar punishment on the men who, having become full of themselves and wicked, decided to build a structure to make a name for themselves in opposition to God's command. The Babel curse of Merlin brings the story to modern times, revealing divine wrath on those who delight in wickedness.
